Narcotics Investigation Leads To Gun Battle In SW Dade Neighborhood

A house went up in flames during an active shooting in Kendall Tuesday night. (Source: Melannie Morfa)

MIAMI (CBS4) – Miami-Dade Police rushed to the scene of a reported shooting with a high power weapon in a Kendall neighborhood Tuesday night.

Officers responded to the scene near the intersection of Miller Drive and 154 Avenue just before 7:30 p.m. The gunman is reportedly shooting at officers.

Miami-Dade Police say the incident started as a narcotics investigation. When detectives approached the home, people inside began shooting. Detectives returned fire and during the exchange, the house caught on fire. It is unclear how the home caught on fire.

Police tell CBS4’s Lauren Pastrana that they are looking for three white males believed to be armed and dangerous.

Police are urging residents in the area to stay indoors until further instruction. It is not known if anyone was injured in the shooting.

Traffic is being diverted out of the area as officers establish a perimeter.

In addition to Miami-Dade Police Special Response Team (SRT) on scene, several other agencies’ SRT units have been called in to assist, including Coral Gables Police. CBS4’s Brian Andrews confirmed that they U.S. Marshals are also on the scene and assisting.

As Miami Dade Police stood at the ready along SW 152 Avenue and SW 56 Street, neighbors gathered also — stranded and with stories to tell.

Diane Pou, who lives next door to the house, described hearing gunshots as she and her father sat down for dinner.

“This was turning into a war zone,” Pou said. “It sounded like they were coming from different types of weapons. One time it even sounded like a machine gun going off. Then we heard what sounded like bombs.”

Pou says after police arrived she was still stuck in her house for an hour as shots rang out before officers could rescue them.

“We were told stay in the house — like on the megaphones — they would tell us don’t even look through windows,” Pou said. “Stay in your house. Don’t go to the door. Don’t open anything and that’s what we did.”

Another man said he happened to drive near the house around the time officers arrived.

As officers tried to sort out the violence, others who live near the scene wanted answers like Gloria Pomarico and her two young children. She’s not sure it’s even safe to go home.

“How can we go back home with the children when we’re just going to be fearful?” Pomarico said.

Two people told CBS4 News the people who live in the house where the shooting and fire occurred have lived in the house for 10 years. They also tell me it was no secret in this community that the people who live there grew marijuana.